There is something incredibly electrifying about summer vacations. Summer is at the door now and every one of us is thinking about different exciting destinations. Whether you are a beach lover and you enjoy laying in islands’ sand with a mojito in your hand, or a city adventurer who adores long walks in different cities across the world, you still need a decent plan for your summer vacation.
So, what are you waiting for? If you have heard of the mind mapping technique, then you know that is the most practical way of making all kinds of plans, including a travel plan for the upcoming summer.
Choosing the ideal summer destination
When it comes to the first and most important step of planning your holiday – choosing your destination – make sure you take into consideration several factors. In fact, for this step, you can brainstorm and make an independent mind map with the destinations you are seeking to visit and experience, their pros, and cons that will help you make a decision and choose your ideal destination. Once you determine your destination you can move on to making the entire travel plan in a new mind map that will cover all the details, including itinerary information, agenda, budget, and expenses.
Download and start using the Travel Plan Mind Map.
Creating your travel plan with a mind map
A mind map can be created on a paper or with the help of a mind mapping software. It is a creative and practical process in which everyone can participate and give ideas and proposals. With the support of a mind map, together with your fellow travelers, you could make the perfect plan for your next summer vacation.
We will now present you with an example of a travel plan created with a mind map. We created a mind map with the mapping software iMindQ, and it is a mind map that you can download any time from the mind map templates base and use for your future travels.
After listing five different destinations with their pros and cons, we chose Paris as our summer destination. It is the place to be this summer, as it is one of the most popular cities in the world. In Paris, you could enjoy day and night romantic city walks, enjoy gorgeous green parks and explore the city’s neighborhoods.
Starting off with the travel itinerary
Once you put ‘Travel plan’ in the center of the mind map, you can create the first branch named ‘Travel itinerary details’. Under this branch, you can put everything you consider important regarding your travel itinerary. If you are traveling by plane, determining dates and booking outbound and inbound flights mustn’t be left out. For instance, our ‘Travel itinerary’ branch is branched out into sub-branches that contain details about the plane, as well as the date and time of our booked flights.
Determining the transport and accommodation details
After booking flights and marking all the important information about your departure and arrival in your mind map, you can move onto creating a branch for your ‘Destination’. Under this branch, you can put details regarding your ‘Accommodation’ and ‘Local Transport’ options since these details are indispensable for a well-organized vacation. Check the available options for transport around your destination as well as potential accommodations with their pros and cons so that you can easily choose what suits you best.
Preparing Pre-departure essentials
When you are finished outlining the details about your upcoming summer destination, it’s time for you to plan the pre-departure details. Our branch for pre-departure includes two sub-branches – one for the essential and one for the basic items one needs to pack and take with itself on the vacation. This branch is crucial so that you avoid going on vacation and forgetting your passport at home, and consequently risk missing your flight. So, be certain, to check the list of items included in this branch before your departure.
Planning the daily activities
Up next is the organization of your daily activities. In this regard, we created a branch that divides into nodes that represent every day of the holiday. Organizing and planning daily activities is the most practical if it is done by the proximity of the things you want to visit. You must plan your time better so that you don’t end up cluelessly wandering in a city without a compass. For example, our branch for activities is divided by days that include popular places, monuments, and parks we must see. This branch is so practical, you could basically print it and carry it with you every day.
Research and determine your budget and expenses
The travel plan is at the finish line. Before creating the branch for your holiday budget and expenses, first, make sure you do your research. Check all the places you want to visit and mark their entry tickets prices as well as menu prices so that you could outline a potential budget for your trip. In this step, you need to determine how much you want to spend on everything, including transport, accommodation, museum tickets, and presents (if you are planning to surprise your closest friends and family).
About the author
Kristina Gjorgievska, a content writer and translator. Eternal inspiration: the magical Italy, Jim Morrison’s poetry, Bernardo Bertolucci’s timeless “Stealing Beauty”, and the dynamic and meditative Ashtanga Yoga. You can connect with Kristina on LinkedIn.
